Women In The Workplace

(NAPSI)—If you don't have a woman boss now, you probably will very soon. As 50 percent of the U.S. workforce and more than half of all managers and supervisors, women are reaching leadership positions in record numbers.

Communication is considered the top skill for effective leadership.

According to the book "Women Lead" by Apollo Research Institute, women outperform men in key leadership skills. Here are some tips to help women (and men) acquire and demonstrate these valuable skills.

• Get tech savvy: By 2020, more than 70 percent of jobs will have a technical component. Stay current by upgrading your computer skills or learning new ones. Check job postings to see which skills employers are looking for, and take classes that teach those skills.

• Polish your people skills: Of more than 3,000 managers surveyed for "Women Lead," nearly half picked communication as the most important skill for today's leaders. Help your team excel by clearly communicating goals, roles and achievements.

• Live to learn: Continuing education ranked as the No. 1 most important activity for effective leaders, according to the managers surveyed for "Women Lead." Make learning a lifelong habit by enrolling in a certification or advanced-degree program to boost your academic credentials.